Now that weather is finally above freezing, I was planning on doing some maintenance on my beloved 240.

The reverse lights quit just before end of 2013. I dont really drive it during the winter to avoid the salt from MI winters. I have replaced the bulbs - no change. Also, I took apart the shifter console and took apart the triangle piece (is that the neutral safety switch?) and cleaned it up and added new dielectric grease. No use. When I bought the car 2 years ago, the lights did not work. But I managed to get them working by periodically adjusting that triangle piece to make contact. Now no matter what I do, there is no use. Any suggestions?

Also, on a side note - I was planning on changing the rotors, plugs and wires. Any suggestions on what brands?

 

rotor and distributor cap should be Bosch. spark plugs can be volvo or ngk or bosch. wires sets should be bougicord.

re: testing the backup lights, I'd be in there with a volt meter.

back lights get their power from fuse 5, a blue wire goes to a 2-pin connector under the carpet between the center console and shifter to a yellow wire to the 'triangle' switch you describe, then a black wire back to that connector to a red-black wire to the left reverse light, and another red-black wire from there over to the right reverse light. very simple circuit.

 

oh, I was looking at a 92 diagram. on the 91 240 diagram, the backup light wire is black, same as the ground wire, not red-black like I said above. :-/

 

Thanks for the advice as always Pierce. I will get to it Monday/Tuesday when I get back to town.

Also, is there any way that I can swap out the instrument cluster with that out of a late 70s 240? I have always liked those way more than the ones in my car right now.

 

that would require a LOT of work. mechanical vs electric speedometer is the first thing, different shaped dashboard, different wiring to all the warning lights (and your newer 240 has quite a few more warning lights), probably different resistance scale for the gas gauge, etc etc etc.

 

I have had problems with failing backup lights on both of my 240s. Inevitably it was always bad connections on the edge connector where the wires connect to the circuit board. I was able to clean up the connections and get them to work again. However, they still tend to be intermittent. Long term solution is to replace the circuit boards in the tail lights.

 

there's some stuff called DeoxIT thats done wonders for electrical connections for me. comes as D5 5% spray and D100 100% concentrated oil. I use the D100 when I can apply it directly to something like a connector (tiny drop on each connection is all it takes) and the D5 when I can't get into a switch or something (spray it in through whatever cracks or openings you can, work switch a few 100 times, wipe off exteroir). Also, for badly oxidized gold plated connectors, a clean soft pink pencil eraser does wonders.

 

Maybe I should look into that. The previous owner soldered the connections into the socket itself (I am guessing originally Volvo soldered the wires right onto the boards). And being a college student (cant wait to graduate in a year). Probably buy one of these:

1986 1993 Volvo 240 Red Clear Tail Light Lamps 90 91 92 | eBay

Couple of months down the line when I get some more money

Also, on a side note, the ATF in the car smells pretty old and brownish - it shifts fine though and has not lost any level in the past 15,000 miles in the past 2 years. I read somewhere here that a powerflush at this point could be catastrophic. Should I do a drain and fill (if so - can I do it at home assuming it isnt too complicated)? I have been trying to make this car as nice as possible - slowly but surely.

The suspension is also groany. The struts are not leaking oil yet though. What does a suspension rebuild amount to? What stuff can I do at home and save me some money?

Sorry to make this thread more broad than what I posted for.

 

no powerflush is involved here.

you get the transmission nice and warm, like drive 15 miles or so, then drain it via the plug, let it drain for hours, into a clean container. put the plug back in, and measure how much came out, put that much back in the transmission via a ATF funnel. I use one of these, http://images.outdoorpros.com/images...2989-88927.jpg but I've cut the clear hose part down to about 8" long.

now, disconnect the upper tranny cooler hose at the radiator, and hook up a couple feet of clear hose that you aim into a clean clear jug. start the engine, and let it idle. every quart that comes out into that jug, add another quart via the funnel, keep doing this until it is coming out clean clear red. shut off engine. replace cooler line. start car again, check ATF fluid level is somewhere between the cold minimum and the hot max, add enough fluid to get it up into the cold range. drive car 10-15 minutes and leave it idling and check the ATF level again and verify its close to the HOT max (and if not, add more ATF til it is). clean the funnel, cap it, and put it in a plastic bag to keep it clean for next time.

 

re: suspension: front struts, strut mounts, ball joints, tie rods, front control arm bushings, and anti-sway bar bushings with anti-sway bar tips. rear shocks, rear trailing arm bushings. rear thrust rod bushings are less likely to need replacing (and a real SOB to get at).

I'd suggest sticking with Boge/Sachs OE style shocks, and not trying to turn your car into a rally racer, as your ride quality will suffer if you do that.

 

Thanks tons Pierce! you are a real life saver

 

I finally took the car out today after all the snow had melted and I knew that I wouldnt be getting any salt on the car.

When I started driving, there was a weird whistling sound for the first few mins (kinda like you blowing on the opening of a glass bottle). Then 5 mins into the freeway, at about sustained speeds of 65 mph - it was sounding like an old turbo squealing. If I lifted off, the sound would go away.

Then on the way back, it was fine at 65 mph but at 70mph and little over, it was making the same turbo squaling.

What do these mean? Also, how do I change the differential fluid? Is there any specific grade of gear oil to be used?

 

no idea what that whistle might be.

there's a drain plug on the lower back and a fill plug up higher on the back of the diff. it uses heavy gear oil, what used to be called Castrol Hypoid, but i think theres a new brand on the castrol stuff. like, 80W90 or 80W120 or something.

you fill it up til its overflowing out the top hole, then put the plug back in. clean up the spilled oil with solvent, as it will attract a huge amount of dirt, being seriously sticky oil.